Tour this centennial barn, one of the largest in the country and one of forty-two left in the State of Illinois. It stands 80 feet high and 85 feet in diameter and features a 16-foot diameter floor to ceiling silo. A farm implement museum in on the main floor. Tours are provided by Friends of Johnson’s Park Foundation and groups of ten or more asked to call ahead. Open the first, third, and fifth Saturday beginning May through October. Hours: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

In the summer of 2013, a collective of artists, called the Walldogs, came to Kewanee, IL to paint 15 historic murals depicting the long history and heritage of the city. These paintings can be found on many downtown facades, as well as at the Amtrak Station that brings new people to the area, every day. About this mural: Kewanee was founded in May of 1854, when the Military Tract Railroad was routed to the north of Wethersfield. The town founders were from Wethersfield Township to the south, Sylvester Blish, Ralph Tenney, Henry Little and Sullivan Howard, plus Nelson Lay from Wisconsin. Colonel Berrian, civil engineer who supervised the laying of the track through this area, was asked to choose a name and he decided on “Kewanee,” a Winnebago Indian word for “prairie chicken.” In 1921, Wethersfield’s 2,000 people asked to be annexed to Kewanee with its 16,000. That 18,000 would turn out to be Kewanee’s peak population.

If motorcycles are your thing, check out Reiman’s Harley Davidson. Roger Reiman, the original proprietor, is a 1998 inductee into the American Motorcycle Association’s Hall of Fame and a three-time winner of the Daytona 200. A top competitor in the AMA’s Grand National Circuit during the 1960s, Reiman cut back on his racing schedule to manage the family Harley Davidson dealership in Kewanee during the 1970s. It was during this time that he became famous as motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel’s head mechanic. Since Reiman’s death in a racing accident in 1997, the Packee family has owned and operated the dealership. One of the top Harley Davidson dealerships in the Midwest, Reiman’s can meet every motorcycle enthusiast’s needs and desires. Stop by and visit the Racing Museum and check out the history of Roger Reiman and Evel Knievel. Axle will be there to greet you!

Founded in 1976, the group maintains the Kewanee Historical Society's Robert and Marcella Richards Museum, featuring numerous exhibits highlighting the colorful history of Kewanee. Open, May 1st to October 1st Thursday & Saturday, 1:30PM-4:00PM Open Everyday Labor Day Weekend

Virtually unaltered since its completion more than a century ago, the 57 room mansion, built in 1874, is an example of high artistic achievement in architecture and interior design, and the site of historic accomplishments in industry, philosophy, publishing and religion. National Historic Landmark. Visit us at www.hegelercarus.org for our special events. Tours: Wednesday - Sunday at noon, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

Hoffman’s Patterns of the Past (located in historic Princeton,Illinois) is home to the “Sea of China,” a unique treasure trove of china and crystal patterns dating back to the 19th century; most of it new “store stock” patterns acquired directly from the manufacturer. Hoffman's has been a Princeton institution since 1944, when the J. A. Murphey family purchased the business, which had existed since the mid 1800s. Patterns of the Past also offers appraisals and has one of the largest gift shops in central Illinois, stocking over 75 of the major collectible lines, including Swarovski, Jim Shore, Fenton, Department 56, and Willow Tree by Demdaco. Store hours are 9 to 5, Monday through Saturday, with special holiday hours. Large or small groups are welcome; for best service, please call or e-mail in advance since the research process can take some time.

The Owen Lovejoy Homestead, built in 1838 was the home of the famous abolitionist minister. Part of the Underground Railroad, rooms are furnished with period furniture and visitors can peer into the hidden area above the stairs where runaway slaves hid. The 1849 Colton One-Room Schoolhouse is behind the house. Located on East Peru Street a half mile from downtown Princeton. Call for dates and times open.

Princeton's Library contains an outstanding collection of Bureau County genalogical referencematerial including history books, census and cemetery records, indexed newspaper, city directories, atlases, and family histories. New location and building at 698 East Peru Street.

This covered bridge is located 1 1/2 miles north of Princeton on Rt. 26. One of five remaining covered bridges in Illinois, this bridge was built in 1863 and is still open to traffic. It crosses Big Bureau Creek and was once part of the Peoria-Galena Trail. This beautiful landmark is a delight for artists, photograpers and nature lovers. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 149 foot span was built at a cost of $3,148.57.

The Bureau County Historical Society Museum is located behind the Courthouse square at the intersection of beautiful Park Avenue West and Pleasant Street in Princeton, Illinois. The museum consists of two buildings that are next door to each other: the Clark-Norris Home, a handsome Prairie Square mansion built in 1900, and the Newell-Bryant House, a stately Greek Revival house dating back to 1853. The Museum is behind the Courthouse. There is free parking on Park Avenue in front of the Museum.